There were many qualities that made Lincoln a legendary president. One is his determination in the face of difficulty. All of his life he faced tragedy. His mother died, his family was forced out of their home, he had to get a job at a young age, he failed in business, lost his job, couldn't go to law school, went bankrupt, was engaged but his fiancee died, and he had a nervous breakdown. Not to mention he lost eight elections in his life. I think that is a lot of tragedy for anybody. I also think that what he did next really made him so legendary. After all this Lincoln didn't give up and eventually became remembered as the greatest president in US history. Another thing was that he was very brave. He was constantly threatned but never backed down. He didn't stop fighting even though so many people were trying to kill him. In my opinion Lincoln was brave for doing this. Finally Lincoln was kind. He knew that the slaves didn't deserve that treatment. Many presidents understood that but Lincoln was the only one who did something about it.

Basically what President Lincoln did was end slavery, and get the Union through the Civil War. Also, he is known for his character, leadership, and amazing speeches. He had a lot of pressure during the Civil War such as death on the battlefields, assassination threats, generals who weren't ready to fight, and "bickering among his cabinet members". But even with all of his pressures, he kept the war going and didn't end it early. Another reason for why he was such a great leader was his ability to listen to different opinions and sides. He didn't just listen to the opinion of abolitionists considering he was a republican. He listened to everyone's beliefs and what they thought. Also, he was able to admit what he did wrong. He admitted to his failures and let people blame him. An example is that when some of his cabinet members did something wrong., he said it was also his fault and should blame all of them, including himself.

Abraham Lincoln possessed many qualities that made him such a legendary president. First, Lincoln was very brave. Though his abilities as a president were criticized and he was a target of several assassinations he was not daunted. He could have succumbed to the criticism of his opponents, but instead he decided to prove them wrong. He did this by going into the war with confidence and force, in order to restore the Union and gain the support of the South. However, he was never fully upset that the South seceded because of his election. Instead, near the end of the war in March of 1865, he claimed,” With malice towards none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow , and his orphan…” Basically, he was saying that he held no grudge towards the South, which brings up another quality Lincoln had. President Lincoln was generous, kind, and forgiving. This is an important trait to have as a president because if you are not these things how can you rule over a nation? A good president must be able to relate and be kind his people or he will not be well liked. He must also be honest with his people. In fact, Abraham Lincoln was so honest and kind that his nickname was “Honest Abe”. Being honest is important because a lying politician is unhealthy for a nation to have. Finally, the third quality that President Lincoln had was he was very knowledgeable and intelligent. He learned that being educated was an asset when he was a young while working on a farm in Kentucky He made great efforts to keep up with his education by reading and rereading stacks of books since he had no formal schooling. In return, the knowledge he gained when he was a young helped him when he was president. For instance, when he was a politician before becoming the president he participated in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates which required some in-depth knowledge. Furthermore, as president Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation, and he was very wise in his decisions about what to do in the war. Overall, President Lincoln was such a legendary president because of his bravery, generosity, intelligence, and ultimately his determination.

Personally, I think the qualities Lincoln possessed are the qualities that future presidents should also obtain. His legendary presidency should be an example to all presidents and leaders who face the same discouragement Lincoln did. He proved that no matter how much opposition you endure you can prove everyone wrong through your fierce determination.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and the most successful president, but he’s life before he become the president wasn’t easy at all. When he was small he went to a separate Baptists church. A lot of the church members are against slavery, but Abraham himself had never joined any church. When Abraham Lincoln had become a man, he starts his own business, but he failed. After that he started he’s political career in Illinois, but he had no good education, powerful friends or money. After he failed to gets into political, he served as a captain in a company during the Black Hawk War. After the serving in the state troop in 1841, Lincoln turned most of his energies to making a living by practicing law. In the same year he becomes a lawyer in Illinois. Lincoln returned to politics in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In the October 16, 1854,”Peoria Speech. So Abraham Lincoln had a lot of experience during his life before the presidency, he can have more ways to solve problems and to make things work. I think it’s because of all the things he have done before he was the president, that’s what makes him a good president in the American history.sources：http://zh.wikipedia.org

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Molly Buring

4/21/2010 11:12:17

Adding on to my first post, I have a quote I'd like to put. "Our government rests in public opinion. Whoever can change public opinion, can change the government, practically just so much." This was said by Abraham Lincoln himself about his opinion towards Democratic Government. What he means is that the future of the government an country rests in the people's hands. Everyone has a chance to help change the government to be however they want tit to be, nobody is stopping them. he says that "whoever can change the public opinion can change the government" which to me basically means that whoever is strong enough should go for it. If he/she believes that they have a strong enough argument or opinion, they can make a difference in the government.

Also, I'd like to say my own personal opinion. I think that Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents. I can't compare him to any other president because I really couldn't because I don't know that much about presidents, but he was a great one. He listened to everyone, took control, and basically ended a war.